Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus is nearing a transfer to Barcelona in a deal reportedly worth around £8.6 million, as the Premier League club looks to offload several fringe players before the transfer deadline. The 29-year-old Brazilian forward has spent much of his Arsenal tenure in a limited role, having joined from Manchester City in 2022 for approximately £45 million. He missed much of the 2025 season due to a cruciate ligament injury and has recently been excluded from Arsenal’s match-day squads and first-team training.
The move to Barcelona, where Jesus is expected to sign a two-year contract, is part of the Spanish club’s ongoing transfer activity, although it is not expected to affect their pursuit of Atletico Madrid forward Julián Alvarez. Alvarez, an Argentine who also previously played for Manchester City, remains a target for both Barcelona and Arsenal. However, Atletico Madrid has imposed restrictions on his destination, refusing Barcelona’s reported £85 million bid from the summer and insisting that Alvarez either join Arsenal or stay at the club. The player recently missed several training sessions citing illness but has resumed solitary training at Atletico’s facilities as he contemplates his future.
Arsenal is simultaneously pursuing Alvarez with a potential offer exceeding £100 million should he decide to move to the Premier League. Reports suggest Alvarez favors a move to Barcelona but has raised concerns over visa regulations possibly affecting his family’s ability to visit if he relocates to England.
In addition to Jesus, Arsenal is set to finalize sales of other players before the deadline. Gabriel Martinelli is poised to join Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal in a deal likely to surpass £50 million, which would represent a club-record sale. Midfielder Fábio Vieira is expected to return to Hamburg for around £7.7 million after a loan spell, having struggled to adapt to the physical demands of English football since his 2022 arrival from Porto.
Despite these departures, Arsenal has strengthened their squad with recent signings including Greek winger Christos Tzolis, Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimarães, and defender Ezri Konsa. The club has also agreed a sale of Fabio Vieira to the Bundesliga team Hamburg and a transfer of Georgian winger Andria Bartishvili for approximately £4 million.
Manager Mikel Arteta has publicly urged the Premier League to expand match-day squad sizes beyond the current limit of 20 players. He highlighted the challenge of managing a 23 to 24-player roster under strict rules that allow nine substitutes but only three substitution intervals, compared to larger squads and greater flexibility in UEFA competitions and international tournaments. Arteta emphasized the impact on player welfare and mental health, noting that many top European clubs operate with larger squads to meet the demands of congested fixture schedules.
While Jesus and Martinelli seem set to leave, young forward Ethan Nwaneri is expected to remain with the team, having recently returned to the bench after missing the Community Shield match. Arteta underlined the importance of carefully choosing which players to sell, aiming to balance immediate financial returns with the potential for future development.